Practicalities of travelling abroad for a yead

[CroutonsCroutons]

We are considering a move abroad for a year. Non EU country. Considering basing near family in E Africa and moving around east Africa in-between school term. We want an adventure and financially it seems the best time for us as a family.
We don't know the practicalities of just travelling for a year and not doing a permanent move. Do we have to leave our Dr's for instance? do we need to tell a governmental body that we might not be in the country for a year? Do we lose any entitlements long term even once we have returned?
Weighing up selling our house or just renting it to a friend
Anyone been in the same position?
Thank you

I’m watching this with interest as considering a similar move myself!

It would be extreme for you to sell your house to travel abroad for a year! A year will go by much quicker that you realise. Don’t leave your Doctors surgery either! Why would you? Some people don’t visit their Dr in a year, you can still be registered with them.
I would rent your house to a friend for a year, however you will need to pay tax on the income from this and should notify your mortgage provider as you will need a buy to let mortgage, or their agreement for this to happen. Some people wouldn’t bother with this for a year but officially you should. Get landlords insurance too! Will you leave your things there? You can keep up got national insurance tax and then won’t lose out on anything.
it’s only a year so I wouldn’t worry too much, loads of people travel for a year or longer and don’t need to worry about these things. Me and my husband went on an adventure for 2 years in 2015, but never actually went home again and are still now loving in Asia. We initially rented to family but now we rent our house out to tenants.
Enjoy!

Definitely do not sell your house for a year!! You don’t mention DC but one thing to flag is that if the school has a waiting list they will lose their school places and may not be able to get back in.

Thanks for the info.
Yes we would leave our things in storage.
I had wondered about if we'd have to request a buy to let. Either way, yeah We'll have to talk to them.
Yes two primary school DC so that's a really good point that I hadn't considered. Damn. I do think they're oversubscribed too!

Hi @CroutonsCroutons think about the practicalities in the country you plan to base yourself in also not just what you're leaving behind in the UK. Are you planning to work or volunteer? if so you will likely need a residency visa not just a tourist one. Will you be moving around a lot for months at a time? or mainly staying in one country, again this will dictate what kind of visa you need. I am not hugely familiar with the immigration systems outside of Kenya and Tanzania but I can image most countries in the region are equally bureaucratic and getting visa's for more than a 3 month tourism trip can be a real process. You mention moving around between school terms are you planning to homeschool the children? or enroll them in a local or private school as again doing this will require residency.

In short if your plan is to enter a country on a tourist visa, hang out with family homeschool the children and leave the base fairly often for weeks or months at a time returning on a new tourist visa each time you will likely be fine. If you where hoping to base yourself in one place enroll the kids in school and do some trips over half term etc. then you need to seriously look at visa requirements for the country you plan to be based in.

I wouldn't sell your house for a year that's insane, I also wouldn't bother telling the dr's. Make sure you have some very solid health insurance, one that will cover a private hospital. Most of the year long holiday type insurances will only cover care in a public hospital, fine if you're headed to aus or NZ or europe where public healthcare is good but east Africa is not a place you want to be relying on public healthcare.

we went abroad for what turned out to be 2 years. I don’t remember telling the doctors but we got a BTL on the house, rented it out, gave up the kids school places, told the child benefit people…

I agree with the comments about visas - we spent 6 months travelling through different countries on tourist visas, then a year in a southern African country with a work visa/spouse visa, then another 6 months travelling on tourist visas.

Thanks for this. Sorry to have not seen by now.
I actually have citizenship of the country we plan to move to but unsure of visas for my husband. When we have been before we haven't required one but it's obviously been shorter stints. By move around I meant, move around the same country.
Initially we wouldn't need to work for a month or so but would want something for spends eventually. Family are currently looking for jobs for us; shop work etc.
I am going to discuss with the children's school about the potential plan and see what they say. I suspect they won't be able to hold the place but you never know until you ask.
I hadn't considered informing them re child benefit so thank you.
And thanks about the health insurance info. We would have private health care there at a local practice which is very good.
Regarding school, we haven't decided yet if we will homeschool between family or put them in the local international school; we need to look at fees and have a tour on our next visit.
Appreciate all the insight, thank you.

Those with children who have done so, did it benefit them and did they find it as much of an adventure as I am hoping mine will?

Having citizenship will help as your children can be on dependent visas. I'm not sure of other countries in the region but kenya can be very funny about giving dependent passes to men. I've a few friends who have come across the issue. Completely sexist but worth baring in mind. Also shop work etc, keep in mind the levels of unemployment and how low the wages are in the region. Working part time in a shop is unlikely to earn you more than a couple of hundred dollars. Can you say the country? You will probably get more accurate advice then instead of just general regional advice